Be Aware of the Weather

Smartphones can do a lot of amazing things and their apps continue to develop and grow with their improving technology. But there is one app that most people use every day that has been overlooked—until now. Many phones come with a humble and basic weather app pre-installed, but oftentimes they aren't much to talk about. Instead, opt for an alternative and see how much more information you can get from your weather app.

This is especially important as you begin to think about your next travel destination. Is it going to be hot? Cold? Freezing? Sweltering? Depending on where you are headed, you can use your new weather app to predict the weather, keep in touch with the forecast and have a handy weather conversion tool with you at all times, should the need arise. You'll know well in advance whether to pack your thermals, your bathers, your rain slickers or your sunnies. Take a look at these three top contenders and see which weather app is calling your name.

Pocket Weather AU

The Pocket Weather AU weather app uses Bureau of Meteorology data and offers the current weather conditions, and a seven-day forecast at a glance with animated features to liven up the report. It is easy to add locations, and it has incredibly detailed rain radar—very useful while travelling abroad. The rain radar can pinpoint your location and is animated as well to see if any rain is headed your way.

Weatherzone

Weatherzone relies on Bureau of Meteorology data. It offers current conditions, a nine-day forecast and additional details for each day including three-hourly predictions for the coming day. There is more scrolling involved than in Pocket Weather AU and you won't be able to see the weekly forecast in a glance but there are a wide variety of locations that you can explore.

InstaWeather

This is an app choice for those travelling who are interested in the social sharing aspect of an app. You can take a picture of where you are and overlay the current or forecast weather conditions on the photo you snap. Once the photo and weather information is chosen, a final image is produced that you can share via text, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. It's a fun creative way to share the perfect day of your holiday and keep in touch with your weather information while you are on the go. You can adjust the settings to display your preferred temperature format (Fahrenheit or Celsius).

Whether you are headed into a winter wonderland of cold, snow and ice or into a heat wave with dry air and sunny skies, what you pack needs to reflect your destination. With a little bit of research and a handy new weather app on your smartphone, you can get the knowledge you need to pack appropriately for your destination and to come prepared to face all kinds of weather situations.

Don't let weather ruin your plans—come prepared with a travel insurance plan from Cover-More Australia that protects you against cancellations due to weather-related events.